Toronto’s Plan to Decriminalize Hard Drugs an ‘Absolute Disaster,’ Says Ontario Premier

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli look on as the legislature resumes at Queen's Park in Toronto on Feb. 21, 2023. The Canadian Press/Frank Gunn

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has vowed to fight Toronto’s plan to decriminalize hard drugs, calling it an “absolute disaster” for the city.

“Craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” Mr. Ford said. “Go out to Vancouver, go out to San Francisco.”

“I will do everything I can to fight this,” stated the premier. “Again, this goes up to the federal government. They cannot be following up with [this] request,” the premier said on July 14 while appearing on 640 Toronto, a radio show with Alex Pierson.

It would be “an absolute disaster for our city,” he added.

In January 2022, Toronto Public Health made a request to the federal government to decriminalize possession of hard drugs for personal use, and in March, amended the request to cover all substances and ages, including youth. Toronto is asking Ottawa to grant an even broader exemption than what was given to British Columbia, under which the province decriminalized small amounts (2.5 grams) of certain illegal drugs for personal use for adults on Jan. 31 of this year.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa said the submission was a “made-in-Toronto” model.

“We’re talking about a matter of health and a matter of human rights, not one that really is meant to be addressed or is best addressed with a criminal justice approach,” she said. “That’s why we’re pursuing this route.”

If Toronto is given approval by Ottawa, teenagers would be allowed to legally possess hard drugs, but trafficking and drug production would continue to be a criminal offence.

Toronto’s submission said that eight individuals aged 12 to 17 died in Toronto from opioid overdoses between 2019 and 2021.

“That’s why we feel that this is something that does have to apply to all so that we’re sure that even the youngest members of our community are having their health issues looked at and addressed through a health lens rather than through something like a criminal justice lens,” said Ms. de Villa.

Treatment

Premier Ford said drug addicts “need to go to a treatment centre.”

During the radio show, the host told the premier that police officers aren’t allowed to police the areas around safe injection sites and have been told to “stay away” from those sites.

Last week, a 44-year-old mother of two young daughters, Karolina Huebner-Makurat, was killed by stray bullets, after a fight ensued next to a safe injection site in Toronto. Witnesses have alleged that the suspects involved in the shooting were drug dealers selling their products at the site, Global News reported.

Mr. Ford said that if any site was in violation of the rules, the province would investigate. “I can tell you right now, I have directed our team ... to make sure they are in compliance.”

The premier said he expects “kickback” from the City of Toronto because the province’s plan makes the city “responsible to make sure they’re within compliance.”

“Putting a safe injection site into the community, what does it attract? It attracts drug dealers. It’s unacceptable,” said Mr. Ford. “Just imagine if someone puts this in your backyard. It’s unacceptable.”

He said the province needs to build more treatment centres. “It is expensive, and privately, yes, you can go into places, but it does cost a lot. But, we need to make sure that there’s more beds for treatment with these drug addicts,” Mr. Ford said.

“We’re going to go full steam on this,” he added.

The premier suggested that the drug injection site near Mrs. Huebner-Makurat’s death was installed by the previous Liberal government in 2017 and that the province is currently monitoring it.

“If the community doesn’t want it, then it shouldn’t be there. But we did not put that site in,” Mr. Ford said.

“I believe someone addicted to drugs needs to go get proper treatment.”